A blog about the Big Four of the English Premier League

Fixture Computer Madness: Part Ib – Villans AGAIN

This whole Fixture Computer business is getting pretty catchy, so I though I’d do some search engine capture of my own, with the term. Admittedly, Arsenal have got the WORST run of fixtures ever possible, with three IBF (Inter-Big Four) clashed on the trot. But throw Villa into the mix and both United and Villa have also given themselves two tight games over the period. Chelsea went and made their Hull fixture into an almost-IBF clash, and now have a potential banana peel coming up at Everton – a team high on the form guide. Liverpool’s fixtures are not worth categorizing.

Ryan Giggs the wunderkid’s wonder goal against Arsenal all those years ago. To be precise, 10 years and 8 months ago. That time in the era when United completed the till-then unthought of treble triumph. When this goal sent them on their way to the finals of 1 of the 3 cups. The Goal of the Decade. Scored at Villa Park.

10 years, 1 PFA Player of the Year award, and 1 BBC Personality of the year award later, Ryan Giggs still looks more than capable of repeating that goal if called upon. Sure, he might not have the lungs to go all the way from the half-line, or the legs to beat the likes of Micah or Cuntley-breed of pacy fullbacks. But there’s no denying that he’ll still beat them for skill, and leave them on their backsides, as he has done so many times already over the past couple of seasons. Sometimes, watching Giggs is like a footballing lesson – especially in games where he came on at halftime with United still at 0-0 and Nani having accomplished as much down the left as Gordon Brown has as Prime Minister. That’s the difference between a skilled player and a great player. Skills are acquired through training and practise, or are inborn. But greatness comes from knowing the game. And that comes only from playing. Year after Year after year, for 19 years. Nani’s got skill. Giggs has greatness.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m the happiest, like Rob here, that Nani’s finally found what it has that resulted in him being touted as the automatic choice as Ronaldo’s replacement in the United Eleven. Valencia was expected to take his time this season, and Nani could finally have the run down the right that he never did when Ronaldo was around. He’s a player of great skill, as is evident from his outrageous, in-your-face showboating in the 4-0 drubbing of (who else) Arsenal at the FA cup two years back.

But does he inspire enough confidence that his starting against the Villans tonight is a foregone conclusion like so many news sites make it out to be? I don’t think so. Villa have the meanest defence in the league this season (Did you know that??), two clean of both United and Chelsea. Dunne has been massive at the back for them in all senses of the word, inspiring random personalities like Cuellar to become part of the tightest defence in the league. And it goes without saying, that this tightness had a part to play in their home defeat of us at Old Trafford, on that late-kickoff so many Saturdays ago. Against such a team, Nani wouldn’t quite be the best idea, prone as he is to a very Portugese tendency of tantrums once things don’t go completely to plan. Arsenal play free-flowing football, and always leave themselves open to counters. Citeh’s defence is still learning each other’s first names and to spell their manager’s last. Hull at Old T mildly doesn’t count, I could rip them apart on my day (If I was a professional footballer. And a winger. With a half decent left foot. Playing for United. At Old T. But you get the idea). Villa, on the other hand, is like a Swiss safe deposit vault. There’s only two things that can get it open – an injunction from the most powerful country in the world threatening to shut down their operations, or a really good, really experienced safe-breaker. You cannot ram your stylish Corvette at its doors and hope to get anywhere.

The midfield three of Carrick, Scholes and Fletch worked like magic against Arsenal and should be fair game for Villa as well. Valencia has to start, he has shown enough of what he can do on the right. Berbatov will continue his great form of not starting any of the big games this season Which leaves us with what happens out on the left…

There are two enduring goals in any United fan’s memory from the last two seasons. Machedaaaaaa and Owweeennnnnn. But just before these two names are uttered, there is a common name which is uttered making the pass to both of them. “Giggs, slides the ball in towards…”. He’s the lock-picker we’ll need against Villa. I think Nani should give this one a skip.